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Voting for Mayor With Beer

North Texans voted early and often at the Katy Trail Ice House's informal beer/mayor poll. (Published Saturday, June 4, 2011)

There was no need to be a registered voter to vote in this poll, all you had to do is drink beer.

The Katy Trail Ice House hosted both mayoral runoff candidates, David Kunkle and Mike Rawlings, and conducted an official independent poll on site.

Customers who bought a Blue Moon beer were "voting" for Kunkle. Those who bought a Shiner Bock, were "voting" for Rawlings.

North Texans voted early, and often.

"We came to toast and vote," said P.J. Patterson, who sipped on a Blue Moon beer.

Though he wasn't a big fan of Shiner Bock, Richard Morgan, 23, bought one to support his favorite for the mayor's race, Mike Rawlings.

"They've both got great leadership experience. They'd both probably be good, but I think he'd be better because he undersands business," Morgan said.

The candidates admitted the event was one of the more fun stops on the campaign trail, but said it also gave them both a chance to speak with younger voters.

"Not a lot of people vote in city elections and those who do are older. I'd like to see some of these people come out and vote and effect what happens in the city," Kunkle said.

"They don't vote enough and this is the perfect way to get to meet them on their turf," Rawlings said.

It was also a chance to spread their message. Both candidates said they didn't plan to raise taxes.

"The answer to that problem is getting new business to come to the city and generating new revenue for the city of Dallas," Kunkle said.

"We need to talk about businesses coming to town. We need to talk about people moving back to Dallas," Rawlings said.

There were hourly updates on the how the "votes" were going. Kunkle had a comfortable lead for most of the day. Whether that will translate in real life remains to be seen. Maybe customers there just prefer Blue Moon beer?

Early voting, that will actually be counted in the runoff, begins Monday, June 6.